The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 57 - Spirited Resolve

Ye Jingchuan couldn't shake the feeling that Song Chuyi had certain traits in common with Zhou Weizhao—something he didn't want to admit. Yet, time and again, Zhou Weizhao could keenly and accurately guess her thoughts, always aligning with her instincts.

Like now, as he leaned listlessly against the railing, sighing to no end, his discomfort lingered until he couldn't resist asking Zhou Weizhao, "Do you think that girl is truly oblivious, or is she just pretending? She can't actually be blind to who Shen Qingrang really is, can she? If she can't even see that, then honestly..."

Compared to Ye Jingchuan's restless concern, the ever-calm Zhou Weizhao seemed far more composed. He adjusted his cloak, casting a sidelong glance at Ye Jingchuan. "You think she's as oblivious as you are? Relax. She knows exactly what she's doing."

Ye Jingchuan understood this about Song Chuyi—she wasn't one to act impulsively. But he looked at Zhou Weizhao, tapped the railing, and finally caught his attention before sighing, "I just feel she sees Shen Qingrang differently."

Last time at the Shen household, even though Shen Qingrang had nearly been beaten to death by his father, in the end, he hadn't been killed, right? After all, Shen Qingrang was the heir of Duke Ying's estate, and there was no way his father would truly kill him. Song Chuyi surely understood this too, yet she showed no reaction and took no further steps to punish Shen Qingrang. It was odd.

"With her personality, anyone else would've been skinned alive by now. Just look at Xingfu..." Ye Jingchuan lowered his voice, glanced around, and shook his head in puzzlement. "Yet Shen Qingrang is still perfectly fine—it's baffling."

Indeed, the women of the Li family, who once wronged An An, were now in dire straits, likely stripped of any standing. Anyone who had crossed Song Chuyi didn't fare well—except for Shen Qingrang, who remained untouched.

Zhou Weizhao raised a brow. "Are you that bored? Why do you keep bringing up that boy from the Shen family? Has he done something to provoke you?"

Ye Jingchuan snorted, raising his voice sharply. "I'd like to see him try! No, he hasn't offended me, but his mother keeps pestering my mother to bridge the gap between them and the Marquis of Changning's household. Haven't they grown distant? My mother says Shen Qingrang's mother still has her sights set on Song Chuyi..."

It seemed they were hoping to play on the idea of childhood sweethearts; after all, it was well known that Song Chuyi used to spend a lot of time playing with the Shen family's young master and miss, and they had once been quite close.

Zhou Weizhao also seemed to have thought of this, his clear eyes blinking as he suddenly gave a faint smile. He might not know exactly what role the Shen family played in Song Chuyi's dream, but he could guess it wasn't a good one—otherwise, why would she, once so close to Shen Qingrang, suddenly change her attitude?

Aside from Ye Jingchuan, who frequently lingered around her, Zhou Weizhao hadn't seen anyone else getting particularly close to Song Chuyi. Moreover, the few times the Shen family tried to visit the Marquis of Changning's household to gather information, they were subtly turned away. A child's quarrel shouldn't normally impact relations among adults, unless Song Chuyi, who held influence over the Marquis household, was intentionally intervening...

"Don't overthink it." He nudged Ye Jingchuan off the railing. "Shen Qingrang wasn't the only one who crossed her that day—aren't the others still living just fine?"

Granted, Chen Mingyu from the household of Lord Chen had managed to stay untouched, partly due to his family's influence and partly because he recommended Tang Mingzhao, a valuable ally.

Just then, a Daoist priest from the temple approached, informing Zhou Weizhao that the Celestial Master wished to speak with him. Zhou Weizhao noticed from the corner of his eye that Ye Jingchuan had already bolted and couldn't help but chuckle.

Ye Jingchuan was fearless of everything except the Celestial Master. As a baby, he refused to nurse and cried for nights on end, almost to the point of exhaustion. They had to make a special trip to Mount Longhu, where he was ceremonially adopted by a godfather. Since then, he'd lived in the shadow of Mount Longhu, where everyone's rank outclassed his, and even now, he had to call the Celestial Master "god-grandfather."

Anyone would feel uneasy having to call someone "god-grandfather" repeatedly, especially someone as unassailable as the Celestial Master. Slipping away quickly, Ye Jingchuan hurried down the mountain only to—fatefully, as if adversaries were drawn together—run into an old rival.

Since getting a beating from Ye Jingchuan, Shen Qingrang had behaved himself for a while. Though he didn't quite understand why Ye Jingchuan had attacked him out of the blue, he felt a pang of fear now seeing this fierce figure again—almost losing his grip on the reins.

"Going up the mountain?" Ye Jingchuan greeted him politely, then glanced back at the temple perched atop the mountain. "Weren't you the one who never believed in any of this?"

Shen Qingrang maintained a respectful posture, hands clasped as he exuded the image of a refined young gentleman. A strained smile stretched across his fair face. "Yes, my mother specifically sent me to retrieve a protective charm for my sister."

Today, Ye Jingchuan wore a frost-white robe with a double-fish jade pendant hanging from his waist, gleaming against the snowy backdrop. Standing squarely in the middle of the path, he clearly had no intention of stepping aside. He raised his chin and questioned, "I remember you once told me that Sixth Miss Song was quite despicable. Yet lately, your mother keeps begging my mother to speak favorably of her at the Song household. Were you lying to me back then?"

Although noble young men were typically mindful of etiquette, their habit of gossiping behind others' backs wasn't much different from that of ordinary folk. Shen Qingrang didn't find Ye Jingchuan's probing strange; he figured his mother had likely hinted her intentions to the Princess of Zhennan, sparking Ye Jingchuan's curiosity. He smiled and replied, "Times change. You and I, as sons of noble families, know well that marriage matters are determined by our parents. Like or dislike doesn't matter; if our parents approve, we bring her home. What happens afterward is another matter entirely."

Indeed, there was no fault in Shen Qingrang's words. In noble circles, marriages were often arranged as he described. Yet, when it came to Song Chuyi, his response made Ye Jingchuan uneasy.

Looking at Ye Jingchuan, who stood with a commanding presence, Shen Qingrang couldn't help but feel a bit envious. "If I had the skills you do, I'd also find something to do and wouldn't have to be controlled by the elders in every matter. I can't even choose whom I like... Frankly, I understand all the reasoning, but it still feels stifling."

Ye Jingchuan couldn't hold back, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You make it sound like Sixth Miss Song is a burden to you."